Lia Hide

 

Greek dark avant-garde progressive musician Lia Hide has a long spanning collaborative background in electronica which she feels in some ways was a good thing and some ways was not.  From 2005 – 2012 Hide kept busy contributing to more then a dozen compilations and creating six full length albums.  Although she acknowledges that it was a wonderful experience she also felt as though she may have lost herself a little in the process.  The popularity of Electronica at the time saw Hide invited to MTV galas and glittering soirées populated by the rich and famous.  She says however that despite that she kept “feeling smaller and smaller” which resulted in her using her voice less and writing lyrics she didn’t really feel were important.  

Classical music and voice training as well as years of teaching has meant that Hide’s already enduring, strong and loud voice allows her to sing anything she wants to.  Although she acknowledges that her classical training, which she sought to enhance her knowledge and skills in music, has helped to shape her as a musician she is also a perfectionist and this has resulted in her being a polished and accomplished artist. 

Although she seems like a social and fun person she credits her traumas, including a rough childhood, bad relationships, people that put her down and inner loneliness as themes that she has felt compelled to explore in her music. She often felt like no-one truly understood her.  These themes fed her first two albums.  When the economic crisis hit Greece, her home country, she like many Greek people started to feel a lack of hope for the future.  Her music proceeded to deal with more social issues like injustice, minorities and crimes and punishment.  Hides more recent music has begun to explore universal themes such as our place in the cosmos.  

“ Its like I went from my private microcosms to being a useful citizen of the world, and now I discuss global and universal themes” Hide explains.

The creative influences of films and books have had a huge impact on Hind as a musician. “I cannot think of living in a world without film or literature” Hide admits.  She says that she loves the art of storytelling which she employs in all her music writing and cites such films and literature as Matrix, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Inception, Gone with the Wind, Monty Python as well as the works of poet Sylvia Plath and Dickens Great Expectation as being just some of the literary works and films that have helped shape her as an artist and musician.

In 2013 Hide formed a trio with musicians George Rados on drums and Ali’Base on bass with Hide on piano and vocals.  Hide’s talents are not just in the creation of music.  She serves as the graphic designer for her album covers, editor of the press pictures, creator of videos of her shows as well as  music videos for her music.  Those she doesn’t create herself she still directs.  Her and her co-musicians Aki’Base and George Rados work together to curate the bands image.  

When Hide is inspired she is usually hit with an idea, an almost complete song, which she records as quickly as she can in a rough form on her computer or phone.  “I either grab a hold of that or it’s gone forever” she points out.

When performing live unless a large venue has perfectly aligned sound and lights, with zero tech problems Hide prefers smaller, more intimate venues.  Although she loves to perform for an audience Hide still has anxiety that can at times make live performances feel a little overwhelming.  

“Performing is a very giving procedure on my part” admits Hide though this is because she gives everything to her performances and describes performing in front of a live audience as feeling like

 “ inviting all the audience into our living room for dinner so everything has to be just right.” 

If you like the music of Kate Bush, Depeche Mode, Tori Amos, Bauhaus, Son Lux or Radiohead, Hide says you “will feel mostly safe” with her music.  Although at times demanding and a little dark, the music may also be emotional and personal but ultimately Hide’s music will feel liberating and healing. If listening to her music for the first time Hind recommends you listen to a song twice and take your time.  

“I am most confident we are worth your time and interest” Hide explains.

Links

Website : https://www.liahide.com/